A tutor at a college has been found guilty of rubbing himself against two female students and grabbing the breasts of a third.

Ian Jones, who used to work at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College, had originally denied 18 charges of sexual assault against five girls on the campus.

After deliberating for nearly 10 hours jurors found him guilty of five charges against three of the girls by majority verdicts.

But he was found not guilty of eight charges and jurors were unable to reach a verdict on the remaining five counts.

The case was adjourned for sentencing, with Jones, aged 45, being ordered to register as a sex offender.

His victims attended the college between 2008-12 and prosecutor Graeme Simpson said: “The nature of the allegations is what one might call bullying, abusing his position of trust, but in each case it was overtly sexual.”

He was arrested in 2012 after he touched the crotch of one student’s jeans. When she asked what he was doing he said he was looking for cigarettes, before grabbing the girl’s breasts.

When another student heard about the accusation she also said he had bent her over and simulated sex, as well as giving her a wedgie by pulling her thong.

In evidence Jones, of Swale Road, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, said the accusations were part of a conspiracy concocted by the two girls.

Three other students made complaints against him but he was only convicted of an offence against one of them.

After the verdicts were returned Mr Simpson said the prosecution would not seek a retrial on the five other charges, adding: “The guilty verdicts fairly reflect his conduct.”

Adjourning the case for a pre-sentence report Judge Alan Parker said: “I have got to say that the report should assess dangerousness.

“I do not have the view that Mr Jones is remotely dangerous, but it seems to me it would be wrong whenever anyone is convicted of an offence under the Sexual Offences Act not to ask for consideration of that aspect.”

Jones was granted bail, but the judge told him: “It must not be taken as an indication of what I’m going to do. I have an open mind.”